Edward Moses named to head Livermore’s National Ignition Facility Programs

LIVERMORE, Calif. -- Edward Moses, an engineer and physicist with an extensive background in laser science, technology development, systems engineering and program management has been named Associate Director for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF) Programs Directorate.

The appointment was made by LLNL Director Michael Anastasio and confirmed by the University of California and by the National Nuclear Security Administration. Moses, who has worked at the Lab for 20 years, has been Acting Associate Director since May, and NIF Project Manager since 1999.

Moses replaces George Miller, who was named Associate Director-At-Large earlier this year. Moses' appointment became effective July 1. He will be responsible for an organization with nearly 850 employees and a combined annual budget of $385 million.

"Ed has expertly guided NIF forward to its current position as the world's largest operating laser system. NIF is a project of tremendous scale and complexity," said Anastasio. "Ed's leadership as NIF project manager has demonstrated his strong scientific and organizational capabilities, as well as his ability to manage and inspire a safe and diverse workforce. I am confident NIF will continue to achieve its scientific and national security goals."

In his new role, Moses will be responsible for completing construction and activation of NIF and transforming it into a national user facility. This includes fostering the development of advanced diagnostics and laser technologies for national security, competitiveness and energy needs. He will lead the National Ignition Campaign to achieve fusion ignition, fulfilling the Inertial Confinement Fusion Program'srole as a vital and integral part of the overall Stockpile Stewardship Program.

The project is a collaboration between government, industry, academia, and a multitude of partners throughout the nation and the world.

"I am honored to lead the NIF team," said Moses. "We have already come a long way toward achieving our goals of creating the world's largest laser system. I'm proud of what we've done so far, meeting all of our goals and milestones for the last five years. I am especially proud of our outstanding safety record of more than four million hours without a lost workday. We still have significant challenges ahead, but our team has shown its ability to overcome obstacles in building one of the world's most important scientific tools for the 21 st century. The promise of NIF cannot be overstated in terms of keeping our strategic defenses safe and effective, in guiding our nation toward the goal of the potential for fusion energy, and in exploring physics at extreme conditions. I look forward to the completion of our project in the coming decade, and the beginning of a new era in applications of this technology for our nation's needs."

In addition to his NIF management experience, Moses served as Assistant Associate Director for Program Development in the Physics and Space Technology Directorate from 1995 to 1998. One of his most interesting efforts was leading a program called Peregrine that developed more accurate ways to treat cancer with radiation. He led the Isotope Separation and Material Processing program and served as Deputy Associate Director for Lasers from 1987 to 1990, with several other previous assignments in the Laser Directorate. During a five-year leave from 1990 to 1995 from the Lab, he was Executive Vice President for Advanced Technology Applications. His career as a laser scientist began at Hughes Aircraft Company in 1977.

Moses holds seven patents in laser technology and computational physics. He has received the National Nuclear Safety Administration Defense Programs Award of Excellence for Significant Contribution to the Stockpile Stewardship Program, the D.S. Rozhdestvensky Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Lasers and Optical Sciences, as well as numerous awards for outstanding achievements in project and construction safety. He has B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University.

In his spare time, Moses enjoys traveling and reading. He lives in Livermore with his wife, Stephanie, and their family.

Founded in 1952, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has a mission to ensure national security and to apply science and technology to the important issues of our time. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.